ArticHydra's 6 Hatch (vs Forge FE)
Opening build order (4 player maps only) 9 - overlord 12 - (2nd) Expansion Hatch + scouting drone 11 - Pool 15 - (3rd) Expansion Hatch to a 3rd 14 - Extractor Spawning Pool - 1 set of Zerglings Lair at 100gas. next 100 gas - metabolic boost (zergling speed) 28 - Overlord and 6 of zerglings. (3 eggs) Spire when lair is done Lair finishes - Start Spire 32 - (4th) Macro Hatchery 36 - (5th) Macro Hatchery 36 - scout - if Forge is spinning or Stalker are out add on more 8 zerglings (4 eggs) then continue. (16 zerglings total) 40 - (6th) Expansion Hatch at a 4th. - delay the 6th hatch until 44 supply if the above zerglings are made. 1 spine per base Hydra den, 2nd gas, Evo chamber all at once. @ hydra den - scout Protoss's 3rd timing. 50 supply, Start hydra production out of 5 hatches. Build drones at your 4th base until minerals are saturated. - scout Protoss's 3rd timing. @ Spire Or Lurker Den - 3rd and 4th gas. 6 hatcheries before hydra is a very mineral focused opener that builds up a critical mass of drones quickly. It is resistant to small zealot pokes with out needing any change to the build. Zerg's follow up is dependent on what he scouts at the time of his hydra production. Protoss can be grouped in to 3 scout-able play styles: Protoss with large army yet no 3rd. Protoss with Medium army and a normally timed. Protoss with smaller army yet an early 3rd. - No 3rd with Big army. (aka Zealot Corsair with +1 and leg speed) Zerg focus should be on surviving. If he holds, he may have won the game. Zerg should start hydra upgrades and add on spines. Drones at the 4th hatch can be cut to flood hydras until map control is established. Lurkers should be added after hydra upgrades are done. A counter attack should be used to deny the Protoss 3rd form coming up. Zerg should take a 5th and fast tech to Defilers If the Protoss 3rd survives. - Normally timed Protoss 3rd with Median army. A "normally timed 3rd" Is one that has just stared or is starting at the time of scouting. Zerg is not in danger of being over ran for the next 2 to 3 minuets because Protoss must build his army up before he can move out. Zerg can skip hydra upgrades and tech to lurkers. The earlier than normal lurkers can be used to contain Protoss. The Lurkers allow for more droning and a extremely early 5th. The Ideal is Protoss can expand, But Zerg will expand more often and faster than Protoss. With Lurker , Zerg can defend better and hold more expansions than Protoss can. Scourge must be added quickly. +2 Air carapace is advised to hold off mid and late game corsair harass. Zerg should add on 4 more macro hatches as the minerals pile up naturally with Lurker production. Zerg will surge forth form this defensive posture when the macro hatches are done and defilers are out. Zerglings by the hundreds can be produced with the backing of a 6 base economy. This is my favorite version of this build. -'Fast Protoss 3rd with a Small army'. A "fast protoss 3rd" Is one that has finished some probes at the time of scouting. Zerg can do the above 2 variations with success. Zerg has a 3rd option. Zerg can try to quickly over run the Protoss's weaker army. Protoss's small force is venerable to mutas sniping off Protoss's High Templar. Zerg's mass T1 army can overwhelm the Protoss defenses without High Templar to storm. This is viewed as a timing attack to punish a greed Protoss. The Ideals of Zerg's mid game goals as out lined above can be applied to any zerg build with a little adjustment to timings. Notes: - Blocked Hatchery If a probe wants to be a dick and block Zerg's natural (2nd) Hatch. Zerg can build it as a macro hatch at the wall-in with little lost mining time, As the 4th hatch comes so early it can be used as the natural hatch. To be a good sport have your scouting Drone build a hatchery at the Protoss Natural and cancel it to build a evo-chamber on the patch of creep left. - Queens Queens give more larva If you have Jeadong style apm. Queens are not however going to wall off to protect Zerg against a Zealot attack with speed and +1. (which can harm this build) Nor will queens produce larva for the Zerg as he micros 100 hydras out of storms, Cast dark swam, burrow lurkers, and snip observers with scourge. Something that must be repeated 2 or 3 times every real world minute. Queen do have a use when trying to rush out Hive. Or for production in place of the 8th 9th and 10th macro hatches if you have the APM to spare. "Special Tactics" - Offensive Nydus Nydus worms are made on creep. Overlords Drop creep. Overlords can fly in to the Protoss's main. Overlords can carry Spine Crawlers. See where this is going? The trick is keeping the nydus worm alive. This is where a hand full of mutas come in to play. Mutas can clear a landing zone for the Nydus and spines. Then you can fly the mutas off to attack the 3rd or 4th. If you take the overlord too you can set up a nydus again. This lets cracklings rapidly hit more than one base. Protoss is pulled in multiple directions. Synchronized a Guardian attack from dead space for good measure and most Protoss players won't know what to do.